Hart's Brady White commits to ASU

One of the most sought-after quarterback recruits in Santa Clarita Valley history has made his choice.

Hart High junior Brady White declared today that he is committing to Arizona State.

"Ever since I took my first visit up there, they were my No. 1 school," White said. "I told them that I just loved it and they let me know I was their No. 1 guy."

White said the time was right to make the announcement.

"I had all my answers," he said. "I fell in love with ASU and had all the answers from the other schools I was considering. I wanted to get it out there and get it official and help build the 2015 recruiting class."

White had 16 offers and his final four came down to Oregon, Penn State, Cal and Arizona State.

Ultimately, the MaxPreps.com 2013 second-team Junior All-American chose the school he first visited five weeks ago.

Arizona State finished 10-4 last season under second-year head coach Todd Graham and won the Pac-12 South Division.

Quarterback Taylor Kelly will be a redshirt senior in 2014, but White said the opportunity to play right away was not a deciding factor.

"That wasn’t why I chose them. That really didn’t play into it," White said. "Anyway, you’re going have to compete. I’m just blessed with this opportunity. Anywhere you go, even if it’s Bahamas State, you’re going to compete with someone."

This past season, White helped lead Hart to a CIF-Southern Section Northern Division championship (its first CIF title since 2003 and ninth all time), a 12-3 record and a CIF Southern California State Bowl Game berth.

For the year, the junior signal caller threw for 4,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and 18 interceptions on 333-of-524 passing. He also ran for nine touchdowns.

The most prominent non-Pac-12 schools to offer were Penn State, Nebraska and Tennessee.

Earlier this year, White became the first Santa Clarita Valley football player to receive an invitation to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl — recognized as one if not the premier high school all-star football games in the country.

He is set to play in the 2015 game in San Antonio.

He was an All-Santa Clarita Valley first-teamer in 2013 and will be Hart’s centerpiece in 2014 and the first-ever three-year varsity starting quarterback under head coach Mike Herrington.

The commitment can’t be official until National Signing Day in December.